Continuous kiln for burning clayware.



L. N. LEGG. v

CONTINUOUS NILN NUN BURNING ULAYWARE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.15, 1911. 1,085,448. Patented Jan. 27, 1914,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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IHTIIIII Attorneys.

Witnesses d /f COLUMBIA PLANDQRAPH C0..WASH|NGTON. u4 L.

4 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

L. N. LBGG. CONTINUOUS KILN FOR BURNING GLAYWARE.

APPLIOATION .FILED APR. 15, 1911.

Attorneys wif/Mal? nvento,

Witnesses Patented Jan 27, 1914 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 JJ@ v n V /PV AV? L. N. LEGG.

CONTINUOUS KILN PoR BURNING CLAYWARE.

APPLICATION IILBD APE. 15, 1911.

Attorneys. I

L. N. LEGG.

CONTINUOUS KILN FOR BURNING GLAYWARE.

111 PLIoAT1oN FILED M1115, 1911.

1,085,448. Patented .111127, 1914n 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4. u1 l1 Attorneys.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0.. WASHINGTON. D. c'.

LAMBERT N. LEGG, OF CALHOUN, GEORGIA.

CONTINUUS KILN FOR BURNING CLAYWARE.

To all 'whom it may concern Be it known that I, LAMBERT N. LEGG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Calhoun, in the county of Gordon and State of Georgia, have invented a new anduseful Continuous Kiln for Burning Clayware, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved construction forV arranging a plurality of kilns in series for burning clay ware.

The primary object of the invention is to so arrange and connect the kilns that the escaping gases from the burning chambers in which the product is being fired will be conducted to adjacent chambers, these gases to dry out and heat up the green material arranged in said adjacent chambers, preparatory to burning, also for the purpose of conveying heat from the cooling' chamber next to those under lire, to the chamber or chambers under fire, to ignite the gases from thefuel being fired into said chambers.

A further object of the invention is to provide a construction which will produce the greatest burning efficiency in proportion to fuel consumed, and further provide such an arrangement that will give uniform burns, and at all times be under perfect control of the operator.

Inl the preferred embodiment of the invention, a battery of ten kilns (more or less to suit capacity desired) is employed, said kilns being of the improved rectangular down draft type and being arranged side by side. The chambers or kilns! which make usp the battery as before stated are of the regular down draft type, (receiving heat equally from both sides) but in carrying out the invention the various chambers are connected by fines, the connections being such that the waste heat from a burning chamber or chambers may be conducted to an adjacent chamber or chambers for the purpose of drying out and heating up the green material arranged within said chambers, means being also provided for conducting the waste heat from a chamber which is cooling to an adja` cent chamber or chambers, in order to ignite fresh fuel and promote combustion, thus reducing the amount o-f fuel necessary to burn the material to the minimum, the arrangement being such as to conduct the waste heat from one chamber to another for drying out the green material arranged therein without going through or in any way inter- Specication of Letters Patent.

Application led April 15, 1911.

Patented Jan. 27, 1914. Serial No. 621,403.

fering with chambers or kilns under fire or those being emptied` or filled.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view, partly in section on the ground line, of a kiln constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view on a slightly enlarged scale, taken on the line 2`-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 illustrates a detail. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view, on a slightly enlarged scale, taken on the line l--t of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken on the line 66 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale on the line 7-7 of Fig. l. Fig. 8 is a front elevation.

j Referring to the figures by characters o-f reference, 10, l1, l2 and 13 designate certain of the compartments of the kiln, it being understood that any desired number of these 'compartments may be employed, the end compartments, in the present instance, being designated by the numerals 10 and 13 while certain of the intermediate compartments are designated by the numerals 11 and 12. Flash walls 32 are extended along opposite sides of each chamber in the kiln so as thus to form combustion chambers 33 provided, at their upper ends, with small openings 34 through which gases flow. These combustion chambers extend throughout the length of the flash walls and located at each end of each combustion chamber is a fire boX 14C provided, in the bottom thereof, with an opening 22 and in its end wall with another opening 35. A closure plate 23 is normally extended over each of the openings 22 and is adapted to be operated through the lower portion of the adjacent opening Thus it will be seen that communication between each fire box 14 andthe opening 22 thereunder can be controlled at will.

Arranged under the floor of each compartment in the kiln is a chamber 36 in communication with the interior of the compartment thereabove through openings 37 formed in the floor of the compartment.

Extending longitudinally of the battery of kilns beyond both ends of each kiln are three conduits 15, 16, and 17. The conduit 17 constitutes a suction conduit and in the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated leads to the casing of a fan conventionally illustrated at 17c in Fig. 3, said fan casing communicating with the two conduits 17 by a transverse conduit 17 b. Under some conditions instead of employing a fan as a means for producing the desired suction through the conduit 17, the latter can be connected with a suitable stack. Each of the suction conduits 17 extends over a series of collecting flues 17 which communicate with the chambers 36 under the several kiln compartments. As shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the vertical walls of the collecting flues 17 extend continuously from the suctionV flue 17 at one side of the kiln to the cor` responding flue at the other side, except where they communicate with the forwarding flues or by-passes hereinafter -referred to; but as shown in Figs. 2 and 4 such flues are not covered at points beneath the greater portion of the chambers 36. Passages 17a are formed in the tops of the outer ends of the collecting flues and are adapted to be closed by covers 17 Access can be had to these covers 17 through openings V38 formed in the top of conduit 17 directly above the covers 17, the openings 38 being closed normally by covers 39. As there is a constant. suction through the conduit 17, itwill be apparent that when the closure 17 is removed from the top of the flue 17 leading to the kiln compartment through which a draft is to be created, a suction will be set up promptly through said compartment and downwardly through the floor of the compartment into the chamber 36 and thence out by way of flue 17 to conduit 17.

Each collecting iiue 17 has extended from it forwarding fiues or by-passes 31 which communicate with the adjacent openings 22 of the next adjoining kiln compartment.`

For example, the collecting flue under the compartment 10 has two forwarding fines 3l extending therefrom and diverging so as to communicate with the openings 22 in the bottom of the fire boxes of the next adjoining compartment 11. The collecting flue under the compartment 11 has diverging forwarding flues or bypasses which communicate with the openings 22 in the bottom of the fire boxes 14 of the next adjoining compartment 12. This arrangement is followed throughout the length of the battery of compartments. As clearly indicated in Fig. 1 each forwarding flue or by-pass connects with two of the fire boxes of the compartment under which it extends. A return flue 29 opens at one end into the chamber 36 under the end compartment 13 and at its other end into a flue 31 that communicates with the fire boxes adjacent the left hand wall of the kiln compartment 1() (referring to Fig. 1) and is provided with branches 31, similar to the forwarding flues or by-passes 31, which communicate with the fire boxes adjacent the other side wall of said compartment.

This return flue 29 doesV not communicate with the other collecting fines 17 and forwarding iiues 31.

rIhe middle conduitl at each side of the kiln constitutes means for conveying gas from a producer such as indicated generally at 16. These conduits 16 are connected to the producer by end conduits 16 as shown in Fig. 1. Formed in the top of conduits 16 Vdirectly opposite each opening 35 is an opening 40 adapted to be closed normallyV by a butterfly valve 41 which can be operated by means of a handle 42. A closure plate 43 can be located over the valve for sealing the opening 40. The innermost conduit 15 at each side of the kiln constitues a heat conducting means and each of these conduits is likewise provided, directly opposite each opening` 35, with an opening 25 in the top thereof which is normally closed by means of a plate 26 or the like.

Arranged above each opening 35 is a port 44. The sets of elbows 20 and 27 are adapted to be used in connection with these ports. The elbows 27 are of such length as to extend from any one of the ports 44 to the nearest opening 40 while the elbows 20 are so proportioned as to extend from any one of the ports 44 to the nearest. opening 25. rllhese elbows can be manipulated by means of any suitable mechanism provided for that purpose so that they can be transported readilyV from one port to another in the operation of the kiln. It will be understood 'that each kiln is provided at both ends with two doorways or openings, as indicated in Fig. 8, said openings as well as the openings into the several fire boxes and combustion chambers being adapted to bey closed in the ordinary manner.

The manner of using the improved kiln may be briefly described as follows: Normally, or prior to beginning to use the kiln all of the dampers 23, 17 will be in position to close the several openings controlled thereby and similarly the openings 19, 35 and 44 will be closed so that each compartment, 10 to 13 will in effect be a separate kiln. After the `firstV chamber, 10, has been suitably filled with the ware to be burned or baked and the doors-through Vwhich such ware is introducedinto or withdrawn from the compartment have been tightly sealed, the gas producer 16 is started. Vhen-gas capable of burning at the openings 40, opposite the ends of the compartment 10 is obtained, the necessary tubes or elbow members 20 are positioned and connected so as to conduct gas from said openings into the fire boxes and combustion chambers of the filled compartment Vof the kiln. The gas should be ignited before it enters the fire heating means so that the gas will ignite in second chamber are the combustion chambers. been thus ignited and a sufficient supply is available, the dampers 17, opposite the compartment 10 areopened and the draft induced through the compartment will draw the gas into the fire boxes where it will be mixed with air entering from the openings 19 and 35 and aft-er combustion in the chambers 33 will pass into the kiln chamber proper through the openings 34 being directed upwardly against the crown of such chamber and then down through the ware and out through the apertured floor into the compartment 36 and thence through fines 17 and 17 to the stack or fan casing. lhen the filled compartment or chamber 10 has reached a red heat the next compartment 11, should have been properly filled and ready to be heated. At this time the dampers or closure plates 23 of the re boxes of said removed and the dainpers 17'/ opposite said second compartment opened. By closing thevdamper 17 opposite the compartment 10, it will be seen that the heat escaping from said compartment will be carried into the compartment 11 by the forwarding fiues orby-passes 31.

By the time the contents of the first chamber 10 have been properly burned, the second chamber 11 should bered hot from the waste heat conductedthereto from the first compartment and by this time the third compartment of the kiln should be ready for use. The dampers 17 opposite the chamber 11 are then closed and the corresponding dampers opposite compartment 12 opened which will cause the waste heat from the compartment 11 to pass into the fire boxes of compartment At this time'the connection between the first compartment and the gas supply conduits should be cut off and said conduits properly connected by the elsaid fifth compartment are bows 20 with the re boxes of the second compartment.

hen the contents of the second compartment have been properly burned, the operations above described will be repeated so that the fourth compartment of the kiln will be receiving waste heat from the third compartment and the latter will be in dir-ect connection with the gas supply tubes. By this time the temperature ofthe rst compartment should have been lowered until it is about 10000. The dampers 23 are then adjusted to close` the openings controlled thereby in the fire boxes of the second compartment and the compartment 10 connected with the heat conduits 15 by the elbows 27. The seals on the doors through which the ware was introduced into the chamber 10 and through which it is to be removed from such chamber are then broken andthe fifth compartment of the kiln is the heat conduits 15 and the `dampers 17 of opened. This After the gas has connected withv will cause a draft through the last said compartment which will draw heat from the first compartment through conduits 15 and this heat will drive oft1 the moisture from the ware contained in the fifth compartment before the latter is heated by the waste heat from the preceding chamber, in the manner before described. Such preheating will prevent the formation of a scum upon the ware in the said fifth compartment such as is frequently caused by fumes from burning fuel coming into Contact with damp material. The heat withdrawn from the first compartment and delivered into the fifth in the series does not contain any element which will discolor the very finest of ware and also the utilization of such heat effects a decided saving in fuel. Then the sixth compartment of the kiln is brought into use the temperature of the first will have been reduced so far that it may be connected to the draft flues by adjusting the dampers 17 and then the burnt ware can be removed from said first compartment and fresh ware placed therein. After six compartments have been brought into operation the operation becomes continuous. The first compartment being in communication with the draft flues to withdraw the slight amount of heat remaining' therein and permit the burnt ware to be removed; the second compartment furnishing the necessary heat to water smoke or dry out the contents of the sixth compartment; the third compartment furnishing the necessary heat to ignite the gas in the fourth compartment and the waste heat from the latter acting to preheat the fth compartment. The other chambers or compartments of the complete kiln are used to lill and empty while six thereof are being employed for burning or are in cooling conition.

Importance is attached to the fact that in the present structure, each compartment is fired at both sides so that a uniform heat is thus obtained throughout the kiln. The enters through the fire box and is thoroughly consiuned in the combustion chamber after which the heat is carried up through the top of the combustion chambers by way of the small openings 34 and rises to the top of the kiln after which it is drawn down through the contents of the kiln and out through the bottom thereof into the forwarding' and collecting fines. The hot gases, when they reach the lire boxes of the next adjoining compartment, become commingled with a. fresh supply of gas which is added to raise the temperature to the desired point and, if desired, fresh air may be admitted to the fire boxes with this i supply of so with and produce bustion. It will flues andconduits Y trolled by valves outside of the walls of the this kiln are large and readily accessible for the purpose of examining and cleaning them. By providing the particular arrangement of flues disclosed, the waste heat is conducted along practically straight lines from one compartn'ient to another.

An important feature of the present construction is that all of the valves or dampers are either located outside of the kiln proper or so positioned that they `can be readily manipulated and will not be affected by the heat. Also the manner in which the gas is conducted from the conduits to the kiln chambers according` to this invent-ion enables the operatives to prevent waste of gas. lt is only necessary to remove the connecting elbows and cover the opening in the top of the gas conduit with a flat iron plate. Any opening between the edge of the plate and the surface upon which it rests can be easily closed by earth and as such openings are entirely outside the kiln there is no danger of any accident resulting from escaping gas. A further important feature of the present invention is the manner in which the water smoking or drying out of moisture in advance of subjecting the contents of a chamber to high temperature is effected. By the present construction the hot air is discharged into the fire boxes and thence through the combustion chambers in the same manner that the heated air is admitted instead of supplying such air indirectly and at only one point.

lt is to be understood of course that the various compartments can be fired direct instead of using gas. Under these conditions, suitable hre boxes are built to suit the fuel used.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. In a continuous down draft kiln, the combination of a plurality of compartments arranged in a single row or battery and each having openings in both end walls for the introduction and removal of ware, and combustion chambers adjacent both side walls, a collection liue communicating with the bottom of each compartment and extending` beyond both ends thereof, means conkiln for establishing a uniform draft through each collection flue from both ends the compartment thereover, and uninterrupted flues extending from each collection flue to both combustion chambers of an adjacent compartment of the kiln, for the purpose described.

In a continuous down draft kiln, the combination of a plurality of compartments arranged in a single row or battery and each having openings in both end walls, for

the introduction and removal of ware, and combustion chambers adjacent both side walls, draft fines extending along both ends l of each compartment, a collection flue communicating with the bottom Vof each compartment and connecting the draft flues, Yalves outside of the walls of the kiln adapted to cut ofl:z each collection flue from the draft flue, forwarding fines extending from each collection flue and. each adapted to communicate with both combustion chambers of an adjacent compartment. and valves in each combustion chamber, movable through openings in the end walls thereof, controlling the outlets from the forwarding fines. Y

In a continuous down draft kiln, the combination ofa plurality of compartments arranged in a singlerow or battery and each haif'ing openings in both end walls, for the introduction and removal of ware, and combustion chambers adjacent both side walls, a collection flue communicatingfwith the bottom of each compartment and extending beyond both ends thereof, valve controlled means for establishing a uniform draft through each collection flue from both ends of the compartment thereover, diverging forwarding iues extending from each collection fiue to an ad 'acent compartment, each of said forwarding flues communicating with both combustion chambers in the last said compartment, and a return flue connecting the collection yflue of the last compartment of the series with both of the combustion chambers of the first compartment and extending between the members of each pair of forwarding flues.

4t. In a continuous kiln, the combination of a series of compartments each having combustion chambers at both sides with their discharge openings adjacent the top of the compartment, a collection flue communicating with the bottom of each compartment, valve controlled means for establishing a draft through any collection flue two flues each connecting adjacent ends of both combustion chambers of each compartment with the collection flue of a precedingV compartment in the series, and flues connecting the collection flue of the last compartment of the series with both ends of both combustion chambers of the first compartment of the series.

5. In a continuous kiln, the combination of a series of compartments each having combustion chambers at both sides provided with fire boxes having openings extending through the end walls of the compartment, draft fiues at both ends of each` compartment, a collection flue communicating with each compartment and connecting the draft flues, valves for cutting off the connection between each collection line and the draft flue, flues connecting both fire boxes at each end of each compartment with the collection flue of the preceding compartment, and flues connecting the connection flue oftheJ last soV compartment of the series with all of the fire boxes of the first compartment in the series.

6. In a continuous kiln, the combination of a series o-f compartments each having combustion chambers at both sides provided with Hre boxes having openings extending through the end walls of the compartment, draft 4Hues at both ends of each compartment, a gas Hue, a hot air Hue, adjustable means for connecting any of the combustion chambers with the gas and hot air Hues, a collection Hue communicating with each compartment and connecting the draft Hues, valves for cutting off the connection be.- tween each collection Hue and the draft Hue, Hues connecting both lire boxes at each end of each compartment with the collection Hue of the preceding compartment, and Hues connecting the collection Hue of the last compartment of the series with all of the fire boxes of the first compartment in the series.

7. In a continuous kiln, the combination of a series of compartments each having combustion chambers at both sides provided at their ends with Hre boxes communicating with openings through the end walls of the compartment, a collection Hue communicating with the bottom of each compartment, valve controlled means for establishing` draft through any of the collection Hues, Aa pair of forwarding Hues extending from the collection Hue of each of the compartments except the last of the series beneath the next compartment of the series, each of said pair of forwarding Hues communicating with a lire box in both of the combustion chambers of the compartment beneath which it ex` tends, Hues connecting the collection Hue of the last compartment of the series with all of the Hre boxes of the first compartment of closures operable through the openings in the end walls of each compartment for cutting 0H" communication between the forwarding Hues and the Hre boxes.

8. A continuous kiln including a longitudinal series of compartments, combustion chambers along opposite sides of each compartment, there being a fire box at each end of each combustion chamber, said chambers extending upwardly toward the top of the compartment, each Hre box having an opening in the bottom thereof, slidable closures normally bridging the openings, there being openings in the end walls of the Hre boxes through which said closures are shiftable and through which air is admitted tothe Hre boxes, a collection Hue under each compartment and communicating with the bottom thereof, a draft Hue, means for controlling communication between the collection Hues and the draft Hue, and Hues for conveying gases from the collection Hues to the Hre boxes of the next adjoining compartments.Y

9. A continuous kiln including a longitudinal series of compartments, Hre boxes at opposite sides of each compartment, there being an opening in the bottom of each lire box and another opening in the end wall of each Hre box, a slidable closure'operable through said end opening for controlling communication between the Hre box and the bottoml opening therein, said end opening also constituting an air inlet, a collectlng Hue extending under each compartment,

a draft Hue, separate means for placing the respective collecting Hues in and out of communication with the draft Hue, and a forwarding Hue extending from the collection Hue under each compartment to the openings in the bottoms of the Hre boxes of the next following compartment of the continuous kiln.

l0. In a continuous kiln, a longitudinal series of compartments, fire boxes at opposite sides of each compartment, there being an opening in the bottom of each fire box and an end opening in each Hre box, a closure for the bottom opening and operable through the end opening, said end opening also constituting an air inlet, a collecting Hue under each compartment, a suction conduit, separate means for placing the respective collecting Hues out of communication with the suction conduit, means for conveying gases from the collection Hues to the openings in the bottoms of the fire boxes of the next adjoining' compartments, and means for conveying' the gases from the last com partment of the series to the Hrst compartment, including a return Hue.

l1. A continuous kiln including a longitudinal series of compartments, Hre boxes at opposite sides of each compartment and having openings in the bottoms thereof, and an air inlet opening in one end, a slidable closure operable through the air inlet opening for closing communication between the fire box and the bottom openings, each fire box having an inlet port, a collecting Hue under each compartment, a suction conduit, means for closing communication between said conduit and the respective collecting ues, means for conveying hot gases from the collecting Hue of each compartment to the openings in the bottoms of the Hre boxes of the next following compartment of the continuous kiln, a gas conduit, and means for placing said conduit in communication with any one of the ports.

12. A continuous kiln including a longitudinal series of compartments, fire boxes at opposite sides of each compartment and having openings in the bottoms thereof, and an air inlet opening in one end, a slidable closure operable through the air inlet opening for closing communication between the fire box and the bottom openings, each fire box having an inlet port, a collecting Hue under each compartment, a suction conduit,

means for closing communication between said conduit and the respective collecting lines, means for conveying hot gases from the collecting flue of each compartment to the openings in the bottoms of the lire boxes of the next Jfollowing compartment. of the continuous kiln, a gas conduit, means for placing said conduit in communication with any one of the ports, a heat conducting con- Copies of this patent may be obtained for communication with duit, and means for placing said Conduit in the ports of any of the fire boxes.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afxed my signa- 15 ture in the presence of two witnesses.

AMBERT N. LEGG.

Witnesses: Y

Z. B. BoAz, P. F. CALLAHAN.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

